The Proud Family

Me at the Yamaguchis.

Hi!

 Way fun week this Sempai week! We got to dendo with our Assistants to the President and they filmed us OYMing for a special training video! Way funny, TuAkoi is an OYM master!

  We went to Ueda and teamed up with Baird and Beck Choro there, spent the night and all four of us got stuck in the train system together on the way to Matsumoto. It took 4 hours and we kept going in circles!

  We had our interviews with Ymashita Kaicho. I love that man, he is so kind and wise. After, we all had to jet back to Nagano to host the special fireside that Yamashita Kaicho was throwing for our investigators. We had a great turn out. Lots of members brought their friends! We were so happy!

   On Sunday we had Shokujikai/food after church, and lots of new people came! It was way cool. Then we went to have FHE with the Yamaguchi family again. Love them.

  Its been pretty good. I am learning more about being a leader this week too.

   I loved hanging out with the other Elders. We have inside jokes and everything. And miracles always happen on kokans. This time nobody said no to us!

 Well wish me luck this week too! We work harder and harder with a big smile!

Love you all! Shout out to Parker Phillips and Hannah and Jamie and William Sheeley on their weddings! Also Shout out to Sheldon who is going on his mission to Ogden, UT Spanish speaking!!

take care,
Cullen Watkins Choro

Our apartment

This is where we sleep. Those are our futons.

Kids love Avarell Shimai

Mormon Sho at Catz Cafe

Strange people

Nagano Branch Linger Longer

Nagano Branch Linger Longer

Japanese Toys R Us!

An isle of all SENTAI and RIDER!

BFFS!

BFFS!

Visited Yamaguchis again! So cool!

TuAkoi and our member friend Tezuka who was baptized before I came here.

FHE with the Yamaguchi family!

Yamaguchi Kyoudai built the house himself!

Yamaguchi mountain

Next Time On The District...

Me and beautiful Japan!

FHE with the Takatsukas

Us in Ueda Jo

Okay that was a lot of photos.

Happy Easter everyone! Nobody here really knows what Easter is unless your a member of the church or something. We had an Easter egg hunt in Ueda with the Choro tachi there and some investigators after another fun kokan. We hid the eggs in the park, and some random little kid starts picking them up and throwing them away! Haha, we saved them tho. We also used Easter candy from America that Baird Choro got from his family. It was way fun and the park was pretty.

Egg Hunting family

   Sakura season is the best! Spring is finally here and there is life and beauty everywhere! We walked around a couple of different parks this week and even wrote letters in one of them last week. It is so great to see, not snow everywhere haha.

Pretty Japan

   We also had a very fun Family Home Evening at the Takatsuka family's home. They are way out in the country. And the kids are so cute! We have so many cute kids in our branch!

FHE with the Takatsukas

    Well I just wanted to wish y'all a hoppy Easter and also remember the Savior. I invite yall to check out the video "Because of Him" on the Mormon Channel online. It shows us just how much the Atonement effects us.

  Shout outs to Janis Dabbs, Uncle Furman, Russell W. Hall, and all the other folks with a birthday this week and month!

  This week we switched roles as part of my training to have a Senior Companion Experience. Wish me luck all!

   Love you all tons! Have a great spring and remember that we are all made alive in Christ.

Love,
Cullen Watkins 長老

Avarell Shimai and the Sakura

Being Silly

Dan Jones Dendo, Hear ye one and all!

Egg Hunters!

FHE with the Takatsukas

FHE with the Takatsukas

Pretty Japan

This reminds me of the Wind Ninja Academy. haha!

So cool right!

Tu Akoi with Rin and Kaori

Sakura!!!

This kid decided to help us tell folks about eikaiwa! We don't even know him haha!

I met Cinnamon's cousin at the Takatsukas home. Her name is Sakura, she is a type of dog called the Shiba.

She looks strikingly a lot like Cinnamon, our very own Carolina Dixie.

The Shimai

Tokkyu 1 defending Ueda!

Tu Akoi and Sara chan!

Tu Akoi and Sara chan!

Tu Akoi

My doryo riding a rabbit.

Random Winnie the Pooh

Don't Do Dumb Things With Your Smart Phone

Conference watchers!

Happy General Conference! 184 years of Truth! #ldsconf #getout #selfie

   This week we did a lot of Bouken Dendo. Adventures! We hiked a mountain and walked in the country from one train station to the next. We also met an awesome break dance artist who dances with a soccer ball! So mind blowing! Suge jan as we might say.

   So we had a big party! Around here General Conference is more like Stake Conference, everyone goes to the Stake Center (or District Center in our case) both days to watch it. It is a regular family event! There were a few different rooms besides the chapel to watch it in. All us english speakers, basically all the missionaries, watched it in english in a room upstairs. And we got a ride with a member instead of taking the train like usual, yay for saving okane! (money)

  I loved Eyring Koncho's talk on heroes in particular. It reminded me of all of my Priesthood role models back home who helped me figure out what I wanted to become. My Dad, Grandaddy, Bishop, YMs President, Scoutmaster, and others right up to some men I've met here on my mission, have all set the example for me to follow Christ and rather than talk about serving, serve.

     Well we crammed a bunch of elders into one apartment for a night. It was like going on a scout campout again! I had an enjoyable time getting to know these other missionaries and listening to conference with them all.

    I would like to extend Ballard Choro's invitation to read Preach My Gospel to all of my friends and family. I love PMG, I read it everyday and live by what it teaches. It can help us all be better missionaries and help others come unto Christ.

Love you all as always and thanks for telling me when Easter is,
Cullen E. Watkins Choro

12 Elders 1 Apartment

12 Elders 1 Apartment

District Training Meeting via Skype

Fun fridge saying

Fun fridge saying

Mountaineer Cullen

Sakura trees blooming!

TuAkoi Choro

OOOs Lock Seed

Kyuryuger 

Mario Game